Macedonia police, migrants clash on Greece border

Macedonian police have fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse thousands of migrants who desperately tried to rush over the country’s border with Greece.

At least eight people were injured near the Greek border village of Idomeni on Friday as the riot police beat the migrants back with truncheons.

On Thursday, Macedonia declared a state of emergency and sealed the border, stranding over 3,000 people, mostly Syrian refugees, who were struggling to reach northern Europe and start a new life.

While Macedonian officials played down the crisis, rights groups slammed the country’s way of tackling the conflict.

“Macedonian authorities are responding as if they were dealing with rioters rather than refugees who have fled conflict and persecution,” said Amnesty International’s deputy Europe director Gauri van Gulik.

“Every country has the power to patrol its own borders, but this kind of para-military response is an unacceptable push-back in violation of international law,” the Amnesty official added.

Macedonian officials were, however, forced to open the border after tensions boiled over on Friday. A limited number of migrants, mostly families with children and pregnant women, were then allowed to cross the border.